Christmas in July

Hello! it's time for the Christmas in July Blog Hop, add links to your christmas crafts, recipes, decor or other ideas you may have to share and help inspire us to prepare for the upcoming holiday season! Dont have any new posts that's fine you can link to something you've posted in the past, sharing is sharing :)

If you'd like to join in on the fun, just add a link to your post/site at the bottom of this post.

If you use the search bar over on the right hand side and type in christmas etc you should be able to find past christmas posts of mine that show recipes, craft ideas etc I love looking back at past projects and recipes. 

I have started my Christmas shopping picking up good deals here and there and tucking them back. I've already purchased some really nice Christmas cards just need to create my yearly "surprise" to tuck in them. Have some decor ideas in mind as you'll see below. No idea what goodies I want to bake up this year however tired of the same old candy and cookies I normally make so looking for new ideas to make new traditions with now that I'm married :)


As some of you know, my favorite thing to do each year is the Christmas Card swap. Cards are so simple to make or purchase who doesnt love receiving lots of joyous cards in the mail each year. As some of you know each year I put out a christmas tree card holder it's my fave thing to decorate with. I want to try something new this year since I'm newly married maybe reitre my old tree and come up with a new version maybe a wall hanging version I don't know..... the wheels are churning. This past Christmas, I didn't use the tree below. I made a larger tree, but wasn't happy with it so if you gals have any ideas let me know I still want the "tree" effect I know I could hang them over the mantel on ribbon etc, but I like the tree kind of like a tradition for me.

I receive such beautiful cards, handmade and purchased, each year, but my fave of all is this next one and its one I didnt actually receive myself. My aunt had sent it to my Mother years ago its a card, but has a recipe on it and I have tried the recipe and love it. One year I scanned this card because I couldnt find it anywhere online or in person to purchase and made my own and mailed them out. I lost the image scan of the inside with the directions but I've typed them out below the card if you'd like to try it out this year.

Baking Instructions

1. Combine butter, sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Cream until fluffy. Re sift flour with baking powder and blend with other ingredients until well mixed.
   
2. Chill dough thoroughly in refrigerator. Then tear off one quarter of the chilled dough, form into a ball, and roll out on lightly floured waxed paper to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into favorite shapes.
   
3. Place on greased cookie sheet. Decorate cookies before baking with green or red sugar crystals, silver balls or cinnamon candies-or after baking decorate with icing.
   
4. Bake in 375 degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove and cool on wire racks.

 I've had the above picture saved as an inspiration photo for a while, I'm not sure where I snagged it from, now that I have Pinterest when I find things it keeps the links for me so dont' have to worry about that, but anywho I love this stair case this past year I took my skates Cheri aka Country Cottage sent me as a surprise gift one year (THANKS AGAIN CHERI!) and hung them up like this on the end post, but I wasnt happy with the rest of the railing I decorated. I hung all our stockings on the railing on the other side, but couldnt quite get it as cute as the picture so gonna tweak that same idea this year. We just refinished our stair case so I'm excited to get that decorated, its a big focal point when you enter the house.